FAQ

Q. What is grass fed beef?

Grass fed beef comes from animals that have been fed a forage (grass) based diet for most or all of their lives. The grass is often supplemented by hay or silage in the winter months or times of slow grass growth. The meat is leaner and contains higher amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids. The animals enjoy a natural diet in open space. Producing grass fed beef is better for the environment, people, and the animals than with conventional grain fed beef.

Q. How is grass fed beef different from grain fed beef?

It is important to understand that grass fed differs from the traditional grain finished beef found in the store. Grass fed animals have been finished on a forage diet – primarily grass and sometimes supplemented with hay or silage in the non-growing season. Grain finished animals are fed large quantities of grain products and are often housed in confinement or feedlots. Some producers advertise that their animals are fed “natural grains”. Grain is still grain and not grass! Consuming large amounts of grain will make them grow and put on fat, but it can be harmful to the cattle. It is not a natural diet for them. The environmental factors are also of concern. When managed properly, an animal grazing in a field will help the environment while a feedlot may create a myriad of environmental problems.

Grass fed animals are not as fat compared to grain finished beef cattle. This is great for the consumer from a health standpoint, but less fat also means less tenderness. Therefore, grass fed beef will need to hang (age) longer. It has a slightly different (but good) flavor and should be prepared in a way to maximize tenderness. Grass fed beef is also juicier. When you empty the fry pan, you will see water, not grease. Once you’ve eaten properly prepared grass fed beef, you may have trouble going back to the traditional fatty kind.

Q. What is the yield of beef versus the hanging weight?

The hanging weight is the weight of the beef carcass after harvest and cooling. Although it is cooled, there will still be a small amount of shrinkage from moisture loss while it is aging. In addition, when the beef is cut, there will be bone and fat discarded. The amount of fat in a grass fed animal is very minimal. However, depending upon what cuts you get and if they are boneless or not will determine the actual yield of meat. A typical yield with a mix of bone in and boneless cuts is 60-65%. Most often I see about 62.5%. There will also be some variation with the body type of the animal and amount of natural muscle. If you are ever concerned about how much beef you got back, please let us know and we can see if it is reasonable or not.

But aren’t I paying more per pound if I get only 60-65% yield? Yes that is true, but keep in mind you are paying the same as a hamburger price at the store (grain fed in a feedlot and who knows where it came from!!) but getting steaks, roasts and everything for that hamburger price and it’s a leaner and healthier product for you.

Q. What is Holistic Management?

Holistic Management is a decision-making framework based on a single comprehensive goal. It may be used in any aspect of life or business. The process is especially helpful when dealing with the complexities of the environment. Creating a “holisticgoal” helps keep social, economic, and environmental balance.

It involves planning, testing decisions, monitoring results, and re-planning as needed. The decision to produce grass fed beef came from this process.

Q. How does holistic grazing differ from conventional grazing?

Holistic planned grazing takes into account many complex variables such as grass growth rate, plant recovery time, natural cycles, human factors, and life stage of the animals. The animals are moved to new grass often – usually every day or two – and therefore maintain a high level of nutrition throughout the growing season. A large number of animals graze on a small pasture for a short time before moving to the next pasture eating the forage uniformly and naturally fertilizing the ground. They do not return until the plants have had a chance to recover. The results are more healthy plants and animals, better nutrition, greater production, and improved ecosystem processes, more biological activity in the soil.

Both Yak and beef are bovines. A hybrid Yak is when a Yak bull is mated with a beef cow. The result is a half beef/half yak offspring. They look like shaggy beef with longer hair on their tail. Sometimes they have horns. The male offspring are sterile but the females are fertile. They look more like beef cattle but the meat is like Yak meat.
You can cross with a yak cow and a beef bull but there is more danger of calving problems since the Yak are smaller than the beef.
As long as the Yak bull has been raised around cattle, they will breed with the beef females.
It is all natural breeding.

The price of the Yak is only slightly higher than the beef since I want people to try it. However, the Yaks are more expensive animals and they take longer to mature, so they cost more to raise.
The flavor is excellent and it is considered leaner than grass fed beef.

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Taking Reservations for 2018 Grass Fed Beef

Grass fed is better for the planet, people and the animals. We are taking reservations for 2018 bulk beef – grass fed and finished. Please inquire via the contact page if you are interested in learning more or making a deposit.

We have steaks, ground beef, bones and other cuts for sale (while supplies last) as you wait for your beef. Please visit the Grass Fed Beef Page for more details.